Please Accept My Humble Obeisances.
All Glories to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga
Hare Krishna
Is it proper to say you are a disciple of a Goswami simply by reading their books? For example, The Nectar of Devotion (Bhakti Rasamrta Sindu) is originally from Srila Rupa Goswami.
Does this mean I am a Siksa Disciple of Srila Rupa Goswami?
Your Inquisitive Servant,
Bhakta David
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IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS ON INITIATION.
Hare Krishna pr, accept my humble obeisances. AGTSP AGTSG!
Yes you can call yourself a disciple or folllower of the Goswami's book you read but certainly there are few conditions. Its not like someone read a book about Krishna, but he doesn't accept Krsna as the Supreme Godhead and doesn't follow any of the guidence given by the Supreme, then can we call him a devotee of the Lord simply because he read the book which says about Krishna? Of course not! Similary, when we read a book of any goswami, take example of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, written by Sanatana Goswami. In the book, many, many rules and regulations are described about the different moods and the different understandings which should be derived from the several different recommendations and steps along the path of devotional service, the Vaisnava Titis, Deity worship, formalities of Vaisnava dharma, how to fast on Janmastami day, how to manage worship of the different Deities, all these things are also mentioned. So if you follow all this rules and regulation, then it's like ur following his guidelines, which if u were his disciple, he would suggest u the same to follow. Then ur his disciple. Hope you got the point. Haribol
Your servant